Display apparatus



Aug. 4, 1931.

Original Filegsl Dec.

A? 214'. Grazia;

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIICE,

RICHARD M; CRAIG, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

' THOMAS W. MENEFEE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS DISPLAY APPARATUS Original application filed Deceinber 29,

This invention relates to display apparatus and more particularly to an advertislng 1 which the present application constitutes a division.

One object of the invention is to provide a sign having figures painted thereon, in

pigment colors against a neutral background, other advertising matter being also painted upon the sign in pigment colors and the sign being illuminated by lights emitting spectral colors, having such relation to the pigment colors and so controlled that when the sign is in operation a figure will appearto move across the sign board.

Another object of the invention 18 to provide a method of and apparatus for not only producing the effect of apparent continuous motion or continuous change in appearance of the subject matter to be displayed, but also displaying the subject matter under pleasing colored lighting conditions, so that, as an advertising medium, the surface to be displayed attracts immediate attention because of the presence of the factors of colored light illumination and animation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention. I

In the drawing and in the description which is to follow, the invention has been illustrated and will be described as applied to advertising displays, but the principles of 'the invention are by no means limited to this particular use as they may find embodiment in displays of various characters, and, therefore, what is illustrated and described is to be considered merely as representative of concrete embodiments of the inventive idea and not as restricting the invention to the specific disclosure.

In the description, reference will be made to display surface and this term is intended to cover any surface of any character whatsoever upon which there is represented matter to be displayed and regardless of the character of the said matter. Where reference is made to light rays having different color characteristics the term 1925, Serial No. 78,248. Divided and this application filed January 7, 1929. Serial No. 330,932.

is intended to indicate that the light rays are not identically the same but possess such spectral or color difference between themselves as to suit the purposes of the invention. I will also refer to spectral colors and such reference applies to colors of the spectrum as represented by colored light rays. Reference will also be made to neutral colors which colors are employed, in the form of pigments, as backgrounds, and by neutral colors is meant such colors as do not materially change under the light rays by which the display surface is illuminated or,'in other words, those colors which display no decided color characteristics such as are peculiar to primary colors, and which remain of about the same apparent density under complementary or primary light ray illumination.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the display surface is indicated in general by the numeral 84 and its area is divided into background areas, indicated by the numerals 85 and 86. The background areas are of a dark neutral color such, for example, as black, and the background areas 86 are of a light neutral color, such, for example, as white, so that in this case, there is a color contrast between the background areas but the said areas are displayed in contrasting neutral colors. Image representations 87 and 88 are depicted upon the background areas 85 and 86, respectively, and these representations are in some suitable distinctive pigment color, such, for eX- I ample, as red. The image representations 87 and 88 are alternated and collectively represent postures assumed by a person running across the sign and turning a hand spring intermediate the width thereof. Arranged above each image representation 87 and its respective background 85'is a red light bulb 89, and a green light bulb 90 or a bulb of any other color contrasting with red, is arranged above each image representation 88 and its corresponding background 86. The numeral 91 indicates a source ofv current supply to one side of which is connected a'conductor wire 92 leading to and electrically connected with one terminal of the socket for each of the light bulbs 89 and 90. Another conductor wire 93 is led from the other side of the source of current supply to the rotary shaft 94 of an auto matic flasher which corresponds to the flasher previously described and is indicated in general b the numeral 95. The flasher includes 2. iso 96 of insulating material upon the face of which are arranged a number of contact strips 97 and conductor wires 98 are led from the said strips to the other terminals of the sockets for the light bulbs 89 and 90, the arrangement being such that in the rotation of the flasher shaft 94 andthe contact arm 99 carried thereby, current will be supplied successively to the bulbs 89 and 90 throughout the series thereof so as to successively alternately flood the display areas 85 and 86 respectively with red and blue or green light rays. When each background area 85 is flooded with red light rays, the image representation 8? there on will stand out apparently in brilliant white against a black background and when each background area 86 is flooded with green or blue li ht rays, the image representation 88 wil stand out substantially black against a light background. Therefore, the effect of animation or continuous motion is obtained and the images are caused to appear alternately in white and black.

I have, therefore, provided a sign which will be very attractive and interesting to an observer.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:"

Means for displaying the effect of continuous motion comprising a display surface bearing a series of'background areas alternately of dark and light neutral color, the said surface bearing also a series of representations of an image representing different positions of movement thereof each image representation being located within a respective one said background areas, the image representations in all of said areas being of common distinctive pigment color, and means for successively individually displaying said representations v under individual sources of spectral light rays, the rays from the sources which dis play{ the image representations upon the dar neutral background areas corresponding in color to the pigment color in which said representations are depicted, and the rays from the sources by which the other image representations are displayed being of a color substantially complementary to the color in which said representations are de icted. v 7

n testimony whereof aifix my si nature,

RICHARD M. CRAIG. 1;. 8.] 

